Byzantine Society as Described by the Chroniclers of the Fourth Crusade: A Statistical Analysis

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the characteristics given to the Byzantine society by the chroniclers of the fourth crusade. Based on a statistical analysis of the works of Geoffroi de Villehardouin, Robert de Clari and Henri de Valenciennes, the author comes to the conclusion that the Frankish knights considered the social structure of Byzantium almost identical to their own. They showed the greatest interest in their “brothers” - the higher and lower strata of local nobility, which was subsequently integrated into the system of vassal-fief relations. This fact is confirmed by the use of specific western terms (“senior”, “lady”, “chevalier”, “sir”) in relation to representatives of the Greek aristocracy, as well as by naming agreements with some archon communities of the former western Byzantine provinces as “fealte”. The feudal lords also paid close attention to the indigenous military troops, less to the masses of townspeople and almost completely ignored the existence of the ordinary (more or less dependent) rural population. At the same time, fears were widespread among the conquerors towards all Greek people, who were often considered traitors. This bias could be due to the negative experience of the relationship between the crusaders and the Constantinople authorities in the 12th century, the Europeans’ misunderstanding of the another culture features, as well as the propaganda of the Catholic clergy, who sought to expose the Byzantines as schismatics or heretics.